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Having a thorough cybersecurity policy in place for your company is critical in order to mitigate threats
Cyber attacks and cyber threats come in many forms, and, unfortunately, cyber attackers go out of their way to target small businesses. Common examples of cyber attacks on small businesses today include malware, viruses, phishing, ransomware, and data breaches. With so many ways for attackers to steal your information out there, cyber attacks are only becoming more common, and 2022 cybersecurity statistics reflect this fact. In fact, there were 1,862 recorded data breaches in 2021, surpassing the 2017 record of 1,506 breaches by over 300.
It’s true that cyber attacks are only becoming more common, and the damage done by cyber attacks to small businesses cannot be understated. In fact, the average damages done from cyber attacks is increasing as well. The average data breach cost each company $4.24 million in 2021, up 12.7% from 2020. When you consider the likelihood of a potential cyber attack as well as the potential damages it could cause, it will probably inspire you to set up some precautions in order to keep your business safe.
There are a lot of things to consider when implementing a cybersecurity plan for your business, and you might have some questions. What kind of cybersecurity services should you use? Which tools are best for business use versus personal use? What steps should be included in your cybersecurity strategy?
Though the numbers you see here might be intimidating, don’t let the small business cybersecurity statistics scare you - by finding the right cybersecurity service for your business, you’ll be able to keep you, your employees, and your customers protected. In this article, we’ll go over how to choose cybersecurity services for small business, how to create a cybersecurity policy for small business PDF checklist, as well as why having a cybersecurity service in place is so important.
Your destination may be achieving compliance in industry certifications such as SOC2 or ISO27001, but it doesn’t stop there. With Trava, our modern tools can help you bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be by giving you the control to assess your risk, repair the most vulnerable areas, and transfer risk through insurance.
If you own a small business, you may already understand the importance of cybersecurity for small businesses. Having a thorough cybersecurity policy in place for your company is critical in order to mitigate threats that may impact your business’s online operations. If you aren’t already familiar with why cybersecurity policies are so important to implement in your business, let’s take a quick look at the reasons why having a cybersecurity plan is becoming increasingly critical.
As we mentioned earlier, cyber attacks on small businesses are only becoming more common, meaning that cybersecurity for business is a must no matter your industry. Nearly every business today uses technology in some form; while some businesses might store forms or information digitally, others might conduct all of their operations online, from backend processes to client contact. The more your company conducts business online - whether it’s in the form of simply storing documents, communicating with clients, or using software - the more important it is to implement a thorough, well thought-out cybersecurity plan.
Understanding the importance of cybersecurity in business is only the first step to implementing a greater strategy that will benefit your organization in the long-run. Once you’re familiar with the basic principles of cybersecurity for business, you can then begin to identify threats, prioritize those threats, and create a plan to address and minimize or perhaps even get rid of them all together. Cybersecurity is an ongoing process, meaning that after you create and implement a cybersecurity plan for your workplace, you’ll need to complete a few daily tasks in order to keep up with it. You’ll need to regularly inform your employees about cybersecurity best practices and continue to regularly monitor both your progress mitigating existing threats and identify any new threats that may arise.
Good cybersecurity is important for all businesses, but a strong and detailed cybersecurity policy is especially important for small businesses. After all, as we’ve discussed, cyber attacks on small businesses are on the rise, and no company should neglect cybersecurity because no company is completely immune from cyber threats.
While you cannot ever implement a 100% certain safeguard against cyber threats, you can practice good cybersecurity in our business to ensure that cyber attacks are less likely to occur, and, if a cyber attack does happen, you’ll be prepared. When you practice the best cybersecurity for small businesses, you can keep your company safe from cyber threats, no matter how dedicated attackers may be.
Cybersecurity for small businesses involves both informing employees about cybersecurity for small business best practices, as well as implementing clear rules and regulations regarding cybersecurity in your workplace. For example, you might want to implement a rule that employees may not access important company information while not using a VPN at home, or perhaps they should not access it at all. Ensuring that employees follow cybersecurity best practices helps mitigate the most common cybersecurity threats for small businesses.
Here are a few ideas of some cybersecurity concepts you can inform your employees about:
Depending on your industry, other topics might be relevant as well, and you might need to implement industry-specific rules or regulations. Cybersecurity best practices for each industry is unique, so you should both do your research on common cyber threats for your industry as well as stay aware of any potential threats.
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Using a cybersecurity checklist for small business is a great way to prepare your cybersecurity plan and ensure that you have a clear idea for how you will implement that plan in the workplace. When you have a cybersecurity checklist, you ensure that you can systematize your approach to cybersecurity in the workplace and disseminate information to all of your employees at once in a simple checklist format.
You can use the following small business cybersecurity plan example to get an idea of what some of the steps on your small business cybersecurity checklist might look like.
Your cybersecurity checklist should have check boxes for every step of your cybersecurity process and policies - this way, you and your employees will not miss any steps when completing risk assessments, analyzing threats, or setting mitigations in place. The specific steps you include on your cybersecurity checklist might differ from the one listed, or might include extra steps that are specific to your industry. This is okay, since your cybersecurity checklist should be tailored to your business’ requirements and needs.
Once you understand the importance of cybersecurity in your business and begin implementing a cybersecurity plan in your workplace, you’ll want to look into finding the best cybersecurity software for your small business. When looking for cybersecurity software, you’ll want to find software that is relevant to your industry, works with your existing processes, and is easy for you and your employees to use.
Choosing good security software goes hand in hand with choosing the best endpoint protection for small business or the best antivirus software for small business. 2022 is a daunting time for many small businesses with so many cyber threats out there, but by choosing the best software for your company, you can ensure you’re protected against all of them. Thankfully, there are lots of software options for your small business to choose from, and you may even want to use multiple programs to protect your company.
Some of the most popular cybersecurity software programs for small businesses include:
The best cybersecurity software program for your company depends on your industry and your business’s specific needs, so be sure to take the time to research various cybersecurity software programs before settling on one for your small business. Depending on your business’ cybersecurity requirements and threat levels, you might want to use multiple programs that synergize with one another in order to ensure that you’ve covered every corner of your business’s online footprint. .
With so many softwares to choose from and so many factors to consider, cybersecurity for small businesses might seem complicated - but it doesn't have to be. At Trava, we'll walk you through every step of your business' cybersecurity journey, from assessment to insurance and beyond. Book a demo with us today to get started!
